


As We Go On

by bookwyrmling



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Duke Tony "Tango" Tangredi, F/M, Fiber Arts, Friendship, Knight Caitlin Farmer, Knight Christopher "Chowder" Chow, Prince Connor "Whiskey" Whisk, Princess Denise "Foxtrot" Ford
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:49:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24497476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookwyrmling/pseuds/bookwyrmling
Summary: Change is inevitable. Life only ever progresses; it does not and cannot stand still. But there are things we can take with us, no matter how far we travel. Of those, friends are the most important of all.
Relationships: Caitlin Farmer & Denice "Foxtrot" Ford, Chris "Chowder" Chow/Caitlin Farmer, Denice "Foxtrot" Ford & Tony "Tango" Tangredi & Connor "Whiskey" Whisk, Denice "Foxtrot" Ford/Tony "Tango" Tangredi
Comments: 8
Kudos: 17
Collections: OMGCP Reverse Bang 2020





	As We Go On

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was written for OMGCP Reverse Bang 2020, prompted by Denois's (SexyDexyNurse's) amazing and fun art! You can find it [on Tumblr](https://sexydexynurse.tumblr.com/post/619763566701084672/my-first-art-for-the-omgcpreversebang-2020), so please make sure to go and give it some wonderful love and attention!
> 
> Thank you so much for giving me the chance to work with these two wonderful girls as well as the creative license to have fun with the story of it. I hope you enjoy it!

The forest was mostly silent. The creatures which had a tendency to fill the air beneath the green canopy with songs and rustling, wings and chatter silent in their vicinity now the hunt had begun.

Denice let her grey mare pick its path carefully through the familiar terrain, her lady’s knight doing the same with her sorrel gelding.

“Do you wish to join any competitors?”

Denice dropped her attention from the branches and her search for the songbirds usually hiding thereon and let it rest on her knight with a wry grin. “But how will they impress my father and I with their valiant trophies if I distract them from their goal?” she teased.

Caitlin chuckled and shook her head, pulling up alongside Denise. “You could hunt for yourself?”

“You know very well I do not,” Denice responded easily to the teasing. “It’s dull to sit and wait in a tent the entire day and I was hoping to find a goldfinch. I have a new embroidery piece I am working on and wanted one as reference.”

“With all the commotion from the hunt, I can’t imagine the song birds are going to be easy to find, let alone catch,” Caitlin pointed out and Denice sighed in agreement. She hadn’t had any luck since entering, as much as she’d hoped the hunting in the forest’s depths would push the creatures further out and into a sense of comparative safety. Maybe she had wandered too far in and should have stuck to the outer edges, but then she ran the risk of drawing a crowd. Her overprotective brothers were also participating in the hunt, at least, but Denice didn’t want to take an entire entourage with her. That was part of leaving in the first place. Being the center of attention had never been her strong suit.

She probably should just save her own little hunt for after the competition, but she could only sit through so many hints from her parents about suitable prospects. Denice was very much aware of why her father had invited the men who were currently here, princes from other kingdoms, a few dukes and the son of a powerful marquess from their own that could be useful to bring tighter into the fold. Denice knew she was doted on enough for her parents to grant her some autonomy and say in the choice of her husband, but there was only so much of the same talk she could take and the court ladies had each latched on to one or the other and nominated themselves to state each man’s case.

A sudden crash sounded through the underbrush and Denice looked up in time to watch a buck with one arrow stuck in its side come sprinting in their direction.

“Your Highness!” Caitlin shouted as an arrow followed it, missing the dodging prey and flying within a foot of Denice’s head to lodge itself into the tree beside her.

“Your Highness, are you alright?”

Denice blinked as her heart started back up and her lungs filled once more with air. She glanced to the side to see a few men on horses with their bows drawn.

“Follow it,” the one in the lead ordered and sent two men chasing after the buck.

 _Prince Connor Whisk,_ her memory informed her, the one part that seemed to still work after the scare.

“To think you were so focused on your hunt you failed to see the people ahead of you!” Caitlin shouted as she brought her horse between Denice and the two remaining men, turning quickly to Denice to check for any injuries or shock.

“Our sincerest apologies to the Princess,” Prince Connor stated with a bow of his head.

“We really couldn’t see you at all,” the other man winced before panicking. “We didn’t hit you right?”

Denice pointed at the arrow sticking out the tree. “You missed.”

“Oh, that’s good.”

The man spoke with such relief that Denice couldn’t help but laugh, immediately breaking the tension between the four of them.

“Are you out hunting as well, Your Highness?” the man asked next.

“In a manner,” Denice admitted. “I was looking for a goldfinch.”

“I don’t think there’s much meat on those…”

“Tony,” Prince Connor groaned, which was enough to help Denice finally place the man.

“It wasn’t to eat, but to look at, Your Grace,” she replied to Duke Tony Tangredi.

“And you thought here and now was the best place for it?” Prince Connor asked with a piqued annoyance.

“Ultimately, accidents can happen in a hunt,” Denice said, holding out a hand to remind Caitlin to hold her tongue, “Especially when both parties were not paying the attention they should. I believe you had a deer you were chasing down, Your Highness, Your Grace.”

It was a clear dismissal of any blame as well as the man’s presence, so Denice’s smile remained firm on her face as Prince Connor gave another bow of his head and turned to leave without another word.

“I don’t know. Yours sounds more fun,” Duke Tony said as he leaned to rest his hands against his saddlehorn. “Catching a small bird alive? That’s bound to be harder than a large animal dead. Can I help?”

“I’d hate to keep you from the hunt. It is a competition, after all,” Denice reminded him.

“Yeah, but this is more fun. I’ll catch you a goldfinch, instead,” Duke Tony pressed. “As an apology. His Highness over there apologized for the group, but the arrow was technically mine.”

There was a goodhearted warmth to the Duke’s silliness so Denice felt her shoulders loosen and her smile turn more natural. “In that case, I shall leave it to you, Your Grace. I will expect nothing less than a live goldfinch by the end of the day.”

The Duke grinned and nodded then sat back up, rushing alongside the Prince as he began talking through plans to find and catch one of the hiding songbirds.

“Your Highness?” Caitlin asked when the two had left.

Denice grinned at her. “Let’s go back. I’m curious to see if he manages it now,” she said with a soft laugh.

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145123058@N05/49961785142/)

* * *

The goldfinch no longer sang from its cage, ruffling its feathers as it stilled for sleep with the drape Denice had thrown over its frame.

Outside, the moon rose, barely brushing the tops of trees as stars lit and littered the night sky. Inside, Denice lit another candle as the door opened at the side of her room.

“Your Highness?”

“You’re off-duty now, Caitlin,” Denice pleaded.

“You are still my Princess,” Caitlin teased as she did most nights.

“And your friend,” Denice pointed out as she tucked her embroidery stand aside and took a seat in one of the plush chairs near the fireplace. Its coals were banked for the night, to be stoked in the morning, but it still let off plenty of residual heat for a cool spring night.

“And my friend,” Caitlin agreed as she walked up to the covered cage, tapping twice at the top. “I still can’t believe he caught one for you.”

Denice laughed. “I can’t believe he ran up to me holding it in his hands while covered in that much mud and leaves. His Highness, Prince Connor looked as concerned as my mother.”

“They lost the competition.”

Denice nodded thoughtfully. “They did.”

Caitlin sat down across from her with a knowing grin. “Sometimes a strategic surrender can lead to a quicker victory.”

Denice rolled her eyes. “So how are the wedding plans? Ready to abandon me?”

Caitlin laughed. “I might not be next door any longer, but I’ll still be one of Your Highness’s Knights. It’s only a month you’ll be without me and March and April will still be a part of your retinue.”

Denice sighed. “But I’ll miss you. I’ll miss nights like this. Are you sure you want to marry him?” she asked, already knowing the answer.

Caitlin glowed as she nodded her head. “I’ve never met anyone like Chris before. I’d be an idiot to let him go.”

“Well, I suppose that’s a good thing,” Denice teased. “I can’t very well give your wedding present to anyone else, now, can I?”

Caitlin laughed and rolled her eyes, this time. “How about you don’t tease me and I don’t tease you?” she offered in truce.

“Whatever happened to me being your Princess?” Denice asked with a teasing petulance.

“I’m off-duty,” Caitlin reminded her as laughter filled the room.

* * *

“May your return to Cross Kingdom be a swift journey.” Denice offered her parting words to Prince Chad with a curtsey. He bowed in return, offering his own bland parting, then left for his carriage as another pulled up behind it, this one sporting the crest of the Whisk family.

Denice turned back to the palace’s entrance to watch both Prince Connor and Duke Tony exiting and smiled.

“Your Highness, Your Grace,” her father greeted the two as they drew closer, thanking them for their attendance. “Your contribution to the hunt was unorthodox, but appreciated,” he ended with a direct address to Duke Tony with a knowing look in her direction. Denice rolled her eyes, but took the chance offered to step forward.

“I have some parting gifts for the two of you, if you would be so obliged as to accept them,” she said holding a handkerchief out, first, to Prince Connor and, second, to Duke Tony.

She could see the surprise on her eldest brother’s face and the disapproval on her mother’s, but Denice had worked hard to finish both before their departure and it was not as if she offered them to incite any form of competition for her hand. The interactions she had held with both over the last week proved them to be dear friends to each other and friends she would not mind having herself.

They each accepted with a smile, Prince Connor’s smaller than Duke Tony’s, though no less considerate, and studied the patterns on each: a strong oak spreading branches and leaves across a majority of the Prince’s and a heady goldfinch, prepared to take flight on the Duke’s.

“This is great!” Duke Tony exclaimed. “You’re so talented. Is this the bird I caught?”

Denice nodded as Duke Tony studied it further.

“Your Highness is kind and skilled beyond measure,” Prince Connor said before folding and carefully stowing his own away. “I can only hope Your Highness will grant us the opportunity to return such an honour in kind one day.”

Denice smiled to herself as she watched the two leave in Prince Connor’s carriage for Duke Tangredi’s territory, only reigning it back in to one of polite attention when Caitlin poked her in the back to bring her attention to the now departing Marquis Fry.

* * *

“His Majesty has already granted Sir Christopher and I the high honour of marrying in the palace,” Caitlin blustered. “For you to stand witness, as well is—”

“Is the least I could do for a friend,” Denice interrupted. She set the birdcage down on the grass and opened the door, watching as the goldfinch flew away.

“Then I can only hope Your Highness joins us for the celebration afterwards, as well,” Caitlin replied after the bird disappeared. “As a friend.”

* * *

“Mother,” Denice greeted as she stood to curtsey, not quite able to keep the surprise from her countenance.

“Sit, please,” the woman said as she joined her daughter in the gardens. “I see you have a new piece you are working on.”

Denice glanced at the embroidery work on the stand in front of her and nodded.

“A gift for His Highness, First Prince Whisk, perhaps?”

Denice frowned at the knowing tone. “For Lady Larissa’s upcoming birthday, actually,” she explained. “She had mentioned interest in my newest thread work so I thought to give her a sample for study. Why did you ask about the First Prince?”

Her mother sighed and shook her head. “Do you not know? He has invited you along with your brothers to a visit. You must have left quite an impression on him at the hunt last fall.”

Denice blinked. “I was not yet aware.”

Her mother smiled. “We have already sent acceptance back. You and Albert will be leaving in a fortnight. While the Phoenix Empire is an arid desert, the spring rains apparently turn a good portion into a flowering paradise. It’s supposed to be a breathtaking view.”

Denice took a steadying breath in then slowly let it out, hearing clearly now the wheels in her mother’s head. “If the invitation allows for flexibility, I would prefer to wait one more week.”

“And why is that?”

Denice picked her needle back up and smiled. “Caitlin will be back then.”

“You would take her from her new husband so soon?”

“I don’t see why Sir Christopher cannot attend, as well,” Denice pressed.

“Very well,” her mother agreed before standing and leaving.

* * *

While the kingdom had been working on building culverts and reservoirs the last few years, the spring floods always made for a bureaucratic nightmare. This was why Sean had stayed behind, leaving the goodwill visit to his two younger siblings.

The spring floods also happened to make travel a nightmare.

“Heave!”

Denice watched from a dry patch of land far from the road as the servants and most soldiers attempted to shove the carriage out of the deep mud its wheels had ended up sinking into.

“This would be so much faster and easier if we just took our horses,” Albert grumbled next to her. Denice would almost agree if it weren’t for the fact that her backside and legs would be numb after that many days traveling by horseback.

Still, she had suggested taking the mountain road when she had realized the direction they were going, but had been shot down. Banditry was more common along the forested mountain road. Especially in spring when it reopened after the annual deep thaw and those who lived wild and untaxed there finally had prey once again. Denice understood the reasoning, but with as many soldiers and knights as her father had sent with the two of them, she truly believed it would have been fine.

Besides, they were sitting ducks for anyone who may choose to target them here and it wasn’t as if banditry never happened along the river road.

She sighed. Maybe if it was only today. The road separated further from the river not too much further down, placing some distance between the town they had plans to rest in tonight and the swollen river.

“Caitlin, would you and Sir Christopher be willing to ride ahead with us? The carriage can catch us at the next town once it’s out,” she suggested. “We may be able to send some more people to assist with tools, as well.”

Caitlin smiled at her. “Let me check, Your Highness. A few of your escort should be able to part with their horses.”

“Glad to have her back?” Albert asked as they watched Caitlin run off to find her husband, an appropriate guard and two horses for their lieges.

Denice grinned and bounced on her toes. “I am.”

Albert sighed in the way Denice knew there was something he found distasteful before admitting, “It might have been better to not bring her.”

Denice frowned, but remained silent, leaving space for her brother to explain.

“Do you plan to take her with you when you marry?” he asked to fill the space. “You know mother hopes this visit will spark something between you and the First Prince.”

“How great it is to know what your future holds and where it will be simply by one facet determined before your first breath,” Denice replied with acerbic righteousness. “Am I, then, to loosen all ties I hold because of mine?”

Sir Christopher ran up to them with a wave. “Your Highnesses, we are prepared for departure. Follow me to where your mounts are waiting ahead of the flooded portion.”

Albert chose to follow rather than reply.

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145123058@N05/49961000223/)

* * *

Striated red rock rose overhead, towering over the low-hanging trees and brush lining the seasonal river that ran not too far from the palace. Fields of purple and yellow stretched out between here and there, the promised spring bloom that was nearing its end as the ground dried out and sand kicked up in the afternoon breeze.

Denice laughed as she splashed about in the swimming hole in her chemise.

In the afternoon, when the sun and heat were at their strongest, the people of the Phoenix Empire retreated to their quarters, windows and walls open to promote as much of a breeze as possible. It wasn’t bad now, they said, but summer could be torturous and took long to cool enough to sleep at night. It was easier to keep the same schedule year-round with a mid-afternoon rest and later nights.

It made sense to Denice. Because of her own schedule, she could not find it in her to rest in the middle of a warm afternoon at all. Her mind, instead, screamed at her to preoccupy herself, but her embroidery could not catch her attention today as much as she had started a piece displaying renditions of every flower unfamiliar to her.

Then Caitlin had arrived and saved her with tales of a swimming hole not too far.

The water had a green tint to it from the growing algae on the rocky bottom, but was clear enough to catch signs of fish darting away whenever she swam too close. The water itself felt almost frigid compared to the warm air, but it was a blessing Denice didn’t want to leave any time soon.

She would need to, however, if she planned to be prepared for the evening gathering.

“I hadn’t realized there would be so many dignitaries,” Caitlin admitted as she floated along the center of the pool, swimming back upstream once she hit the point where the banks narrowed and current sped up downstream.

“I should have asked to see the invitation,” Denice agreed, paddling gently up to Caitlin, trying to keep her tightly pinned hair dry so she didn’t lose all ability to manage it for the rest of the day. “But the play actors the Second Prince of York brought are outstanding. Do you think I could get away with inviting them back home?”

“The stories are quite intriguing,” Caitlin admitted thoughtfully. “I hear Prince Nurse not only patronizes a number of theatres, but even does some writing, himself.”

“While the stories are intriguing, they are no greater than our own,” Denice said with a shrug. “I’m more interested in the stage and prop crafting and costuming. Their use of make-up and facial expression rather than character masks gave a very different dimension to the personhood of each character. A sort of flexible individuality?” Denice hummed, not quite happy with that explanation, but wasn’t quite sure how else to explain it.

She hummed and filed it away for later, turning her attention back to Caitlin, the cool water and the bright sun.

* * *

“I didn’t know His Highness had a fiancee,” Denice muttered as she watched the woman walk in on Prince Connor’s arm.

“He’s been holding his family off on the announcement,” Duke Tony admitted. “Guess he finally lost the battle. He wanted to settle himself politically before marrying, but his parents are pushing the marriage for his political stability. She’s the Minister of State’s daughter, Lady Madrigal.”

“I see,” Denice said as she watched the way Prince Connor stiffly escorted her to her chair. She said something to him and he seemed to smile.

“They grew up together and are friends,” the Duke continued, “He respects her opinions and intelligence, but it doesn’t look like it’ll be a love match.”

Denice smiled softly to herself. “It appears they will at least get along,” she pointed out. “The rest can always follow.”

 _Love is a choice,_ her mother had always told her. Denice didn’t think it was such a bad ideology, though she could certainly hope for romance to precede it.

In the sudden silence, she turned to see Duke Tony looking at her in surprise. She smiled at him, a bit embarrassed at his suddenly overt attention. He smiled back and dropped his gaze to the table.

“I heard the play tonight was co-written by the Second Prince of York, himself. You said you like theater, yes?”

Denice smiled. “I do. Does Your Grace?”

“I think we’re close enough friends that you can call me Tony now if it’s alright with you,” the Duke said with an embarrassed laugh. “I’m not much one for formality. And I don’t know much about theater. Would you be willing to sit with me tonight? In case I have questions.”

“Your Grace...Tony,” Denice corrected herself at his sudden frown, hiding her laugh and embarrassment behind her hand, “You should not be speaking when the play is going, but I am happy to answer questions you may have between acts and afterwards.”

Tony beamed at her as the food began to arrive. “Thank you, Your Highness!”

“If I am to call you Tony, you may as well call me Denice,” she corrected. “We are friends, after all. What need is there for formality between friends?”

Tony’s smile grew exponentially softer as he agreed. “Denice.” He bit at his lip for a moment before seeming to decide on something as he pulled out his handkerchief with a carefully embroidered goldfinch on it. "You can use this if the play is sad," he offered.

Denice brushed careful fingers gently over her own stitching. "I'll be sure to let you know if it's needed," she promised softly before turning back to the event before them.

* * *

“It’s nice to see proper green again in all its hues,” Caitlin sighed as the chaparral turned into forest proper on the mountain slopes and the meadow grass grew softer and taller and thicker in the river valley.

They had stopped their travels home for a picnic lunch, giving Denice and Albert a chance to move. Albert had chosen to train his swordsmanship. Denice decided she would rather walk.

If they looked behind, back the way they had come, she could still see the red buttes of the desert painting the horizon and it held a beauty all its own, but looking forward was so much softer. The cool of greens and blues gave her eyes and mind a rest. Like going swimming in the river with Caitlin during that one afternoon, she felt like she could take a deep breath and let out all the dust.

She did just that, closing her eyes and breathing in through her nose. A shadow fell across her face as she exhaled and something tickled at her ear. Denice opened her eyes to find Caitlin sticking her tongue out as she tried to make wildflowers stick in her hair.

They both laughed when one fell and covered Denice’s nose with pollen.

“Let me braid your hair,” Denice said as she tapped at Caitlin’s shoulders to turn her around.

Caitlin laughed, but acquiesced, turning as requested then sitting down on the meadow grass. For ease of movement and to fit in her helmet, Caitlin often kept her hair in a braid pinned tight to her head. Denice undid the threading holding it tight and then untied the end, soothing the frazzled strands back into the whole and using her fingers to comb out any knots and kinks.

“You got along well with His Grace during our trip,” Caitlin said, starting the conversation Denice knew would come soon but hadn’t quite known how to start.

She paused in her braiding for a moment, the strands loosening a touch before she continued on. “He is a good friend,” she agreed.

Caitlin hummed, but kept silent, begging continuation.

Denice huffed, picturing the smug look on Caitlin’s face and gave the braid a tug. “He’ll likely be visiting in the next few months to speak with my parents. He’s waiting until I get home and can speak with them before sending a letter, himself. I think it won’t be hard or take long to see him as more than a good friend.”

Denice tied off the bottom of the braid with a bow rather than a simple knot and Caitlin leaned her head back to smile at her. “I’m glad you found someone so good.”

Denice smiled back. “Me, too.”

She turned to their surroundings and began to pick nearby wildflowers, weaving their stems into Caitlin’s braid. “I’ll miss you, though. Once we marry, I’ll be moving to his territory and I know very well I won’t be taking both you and your husband with me. I don’t like to think about that.”

Caitlin sat back up and stilled herself to allow for Denice’s current whims in decoration, reaching out to pick a few wild orchids and rock roses in reach. She tilted her head to one side in thought for a moment, however, before nodding to herself. “A peered knight without an heir has expressed interest in naming Chris his successor,” she said just loud enough for Denice to hear.

“It means we wouldn’t have to buy a title or land. And I do eventually want to have kids,” Caitlin murmured, handing some of her own picked flowers back. “If we take it, we’ll be leaving the palace, as well.”

Denice’s hands paused at their work as the ramifications of Caitlin’s words hit her. “When?”

“Not until after you marry, of course,” Caitlin replied easily. “I want to see this through. You are one of the most important people to me and I do mean that aside from our titles and duties.”

Caitlin would hold a title. She wouldn’t be a guard knight, but a true Lady whom Denice could trade correspondence with and invite for a visit. “Where?” she immediately asked

Caitlin pulled her braid out of Denice’s hands and twisted to share a playful grin with her. “Two day’s horseback from the Duke’s territory.”

“Really?”

Caitlin nodded.

Denice barely held back her shout of joy as she threw herself into Caitlin’s chest, knocking them flat into the grass.

“You’ll visit often?” she asked.

“Of course,” Caitlin replied, rocking back to tap her back against Denice’s chest. “I’ll look forward to the first invitation from the new Duchess Tangredi.”

The sounds of calls and horses sounded from the road and both women sighed.

“Guess it’s time to get back to it,” Caitlin said as they both stood. She helped dust off and straighten Denice’s dress before pulling her own braid over her shoulder and eyeing it.

“You can’t crush the flowers,” Denice ordered. “Just for today, keep your helmet off. We’re in open country and not too far from our stop for the day. Besides, Sir Christopher will love it.”

Caitlin tossed the braid back over her shoulder and moved to follow her. When her husband stopped and stared, they glanced at each other, the same devious smirk mirrored on both of their faces.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much to my beta, Anna, for reading through and helping me work out the kinks!
> 
> Thank you, also, to our wonderful event mods for running this! I enjoy getting to write to someone's art so much and this event gives me the perfect change to do so!
> 
> Finally, thank you to Ngozi, creator of Check Please!, for giving us such fun characters and such a fun world.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Art for As We Go On](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27546793) by [ArtbyDenois](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtbyDenois/pseuds/ArtbyDenois)




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